Posts

7 days in healthcare (14th-20th November, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the promising advances in the clinical trial of monoclonal antibodies against malaria are noteworthy. Although malaria has declined remarkably in the last 20 years, progress stopped in 2014. 6 African countries suffer 55% of global malaria cases. There is no doubt that the world would be much better without this disease.

As regards Global Health, the COP27 summit approves what was a general demand: the creation of a fund to help countries vulnerable to warming, although it does not agree to end fossil fuels. Faced with the opinion of the Director General of the WHO to hail the Qatar soccer championship as good for health, The Lancet is more skeptical, pointing out, among other things, that it had already shown in 2021 that the Olympic Games do not contribute to the generalization of the practice of physical exercise among the population.

Regarding International Health Policy, it seems that China is beginning to soften the covid-zero policy with regulations that are not as draconian as up to now. The American CDC initiates the changes, after the report that was made that demonstrated notable failures during the pandemic. The pharmaceutical industry warns in the United States and the United Kingdom that a change in price conditions in the first country and an increase in taxes in the second, could harm investments and, consequently, innovations in medicines.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid has risen in the last week, after two weeks of decline. With the announced change of the Minister of Health, Spain will have the sad record of having five Ministers of Health (Montón, Carcedo, Illa, Darias and the new one) in five years. Not surprisingly, the Ministry of Health has become a contingency management ministry, rather than the driver of transformative system change. If any of those ministers, which is quite doubtful, had had any transformation approach, he would not have had time to even raise it. It is not surprising that, in these circumstances, the Ministry of Health has not had the opportunity to rule on the conflict between Primary Care doctors, as if it did not affect it, when local circumstances aside, the working and professional conditions of healthcare personnel at Primary Care are a national problem. It confirms what was already known: that Spain is among the countries with the most doctors per 1,000 inhabitants in the world. Important and necessary organizational revolution at the Vall d’Hebrón hospital in Barcelona, ​​creating 32 areas of knowledge. The approach will be presented at the next meeting of the European University Hospitals Alliance (EUHA).

In the field of Companies, at the international level, obesity is seen as the expected Eldorado of Big Pharma. In Spain, Sanitas acquires a hospital in Mexico; Ribera buys a hospital group in Murcia; and, Imed considers the construction of three new hospitals: Valencia, Alicante and Barcelona.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

  • Other themes
    • Francesc Moréu, a well-known health manager, updates his document published in 2020 entitled: “A new health model for a new society” to November 2022. The fundamental thesis is that the health sector was created for another society and the fact that in-depth reforms have not been carried out for more than 40 years is creating problems for patients and professionals (https://drive.google.com/ uc?export=download&id=1W3l4Lz6gH3s-cG7rlKX_2kqKlsorkCy0)

Companies

 

7 days in healthcare (September 19th-25th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, to review the articles in The Economist on advances in knowledge of the brain, which will have a great impact on the appearance of new drugs and pain therapy.

With regard to Global Health, the WHO report of September 21, which places cancers, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes as responsible for three quarters of global mortality.

In terms of international health policy, an important initiative in France to offer three preventive consultations free of charge by the public system: at 25, 45 and 65 years of age. The EU launches a plan for the elimination of tuberculosis in Europe.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), great debate around the Equity Law. What should have been just a law to correct the access deficiencies of the Montón Law, is being flamboyantly called “Equity” (as if accessibility guaranteed equity, not having a single provision to improve equity), and It is used to introduce the aspirations of Unidas Podemos to annul Law 15/97, approved almost unanimously at the time. The IDIS Foundation has warned of the damage to assistance and, specifically, the waiting lists, if some precepts of the Law are approved. It seems that the Catalan consortiums are going to respect each other, which is important, but it is also important to preserve and reinforce public/private concerts throughout the national territory.

At the corporate level, from an international point of view, the shares of the large vaccine manufacturers (especially Moderna, BioNTech and Novavax) plummeted, as a result of President Biden’s announcement that “the pandemic has been feared”. In Spain, it should be noted that Moderna will install its first quality laboratory outside the United States in Madrid.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (August 29th-September 4th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the great impact of the study by scientists from the University of Oviedo, who have studied the genes of a species of jellyfish, which incorporates rejuvenation elements in its life cycle, should be highlighted.

With regard to Global Health, historical decline in life expectancy in the United States, which went to 76 years in 2021, compared to 79 in 2019. The covid, the main responsible, although not the only one. Presumably we will see a similar phenomenon in Europe and in Spain.

Regarding International health policy, both the FDA and the EMA approve the covid vaccine boosters, despite some questions that have been pointed out by the journal Science. In the UK, long waiting lists in the public sector are leading to a boom in direct payment systems for healthcare.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the two most relevant issues are the approval of the bill that creates the Spanish Public Health Agency, subject to hearing and public information; and the draft Law on Abortion, which has very controversial elements, such as abortion in women aged 16-18 without information or parental consent; conscientious objection for doctors (on whose regulation the WTO has ruled negatively); the obligation to carry out this practice in public centers; and the dispensing of the morning after pill. Surprising statements by the President of the Community of Madrid, who attributes the shortage of doctors to the lack of Faculties of Medicine, contrary to what had been the opinion of the State Confederation of Medical Students and the Conference of Deans of Faculties of Medicine, with the support of the Forum of the Medical Profession. And the fact that only South Korea surpasses Spain in the ratio of Faculties of Medicine per million inhabitants.

In the field of companies, health has jumped into the metaverse with a business of 5,060 million dollars, although we will have to be very attentive to what we call metatarsus. HIPRA starts a trial to study its covid vaccine as a fourth dose.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

 

7 days in healthcare (April 25-May 1, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, to highlight the evolution of acute hepatitis in children; Lilly’s announcement of a drug to tackle obesity that could compete with bariatric surgery; and the analysis of the New England Journal of Medicine on the “boosters” for covid.

As far as Global Health is concerned, we again quote Bill Gates, who is publishing a new book on pandemic prevention. Great concern about the resurgence of measles, yellow fever and polio in Africa, due to the low levels of vaccination against these diseases, given that resources have been largely diverted to covid.

As for international health policy, the problems of the “zero-covid” policy in China continue, which threatens the global economy, due to the closure of the largest port in the world: Shanghai. It seems increasingly clear that for political reasons this “zero-covid” approach will not change until the approval of a third term for its leader Xi. Also noteworthy is the very serious discrediting of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, which until now had been the object of almost religious veneration.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to increase, particularly in some regions (Galicia, Navarra, Asturias and Castilla y León). The Health Advertising Law was not approved by Parliament, which is not necessarily bad news, since it was largely part of the confrontation between the College of Dentists and the dental care networks. The announced strike of doctors in Madrid, regardless of its results, has its origin in a very serious problem: the very high rate of temporary employment (more than 50% of doctors in the public system in Madrid). Very interesting statements by José Ramón Repullo, proposing national accreditation and hiring at the local level.

In the field of companies, from the international point of view, certain possible disruptive changes for the pharmaceutical industry should be highlighted: 3D printing, which would allow the “manufacturing” of medicines in a clinical environment; and the movements of Amazon for the sale of prescription drugs.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • COVID-19

o Serious problems continue in China with the “zero-covid” policy. The general impression is that the rhetoric of war does not help to defeat covid (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/04/30/chinas-martial-rhetoric-will-not-help-it-defeat- covid), while the global economic implications of the closure of Shanghai persist, the largest port in the world (https://www.epe.es/es/internacional/20220429/estrategia-covid-cero-china-dessolucion-inflacion-13586353)

o The “zero-covid” policy in China, a great personal bet of the leader Xi and difficult to be modified before his re-election for a third term (https://www.ft.com/content/33b7fcb2-bc88- 4a76-9b81-d561deaabc5c)

o Covid cases on the rise in virtually all of the United States (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/29/world/coronavirus-cases-us.html)

  • Other issues

o The FDA, about to ban menthol cigarettes. They are the most used among the black population (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/health/menthol-ban-fda.html)

o Very serious loss of prestige of the National Health Service, which is ending an almost religious adoration of this body in the United Kingdom. A survey says that global satisfaction dropped to 36%, something never known. Poor staff planning among major problems (https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/28/the-nhs-is-in-seriously-poor-shape)

National health policy (Spain)

  • COVID

o The cumulative incidence among people over 60 years of age continues to rise, reaching (April 29) 676.43 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, an increase of almost 70 points compared to the previous measurement. Occupation rate due to covid: 5.12% in the ward and 3.66% in the ICU (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-19-espana-notifica-62695-casos-229- deceased-ia-exceeds-676-points_113987_102.html)

o The Ministry of Health reports almost 2,000 deaths in April, the first full month of “flu” from covid (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220430/sanidad-notifica-muertes-primer-completo- flu-covid/668683313_0.html)

o Increase in the incidence of covid grows by 35% after Easter and there are already four regions with the unbridled incidence (Galicia, Navarra, Asturias and Castilla y León) (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220428 /revenues-covid-semana-santa-ccaa-incident-runaway/668183406_0.html)

o The Ministry of Health will authorize the fourth dose for those over 80 years of age and those who live in residences, a total of about 3 million people (https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20220425/8219507/sanidad-autorizara- fourth-dose-vaccine-covid-older-80.html)

  • Regulatory announcements

o The Health Advertising Law presented by the PP fails, which is regretted by the professional associations, in particular that of dentists. Apparently, the Government is preparing a Royal Decree on the subject (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/28/el-congreso-desestima-la-ley-de-publicidad-sanitaria-del-pp)

  • Other issues

o Madrid hospital doctors go on strike over temporary contracts (https://www.epe.es/es/sanidad/20220429/medicos-hospitales-madrid-huelga-contratos-temporales-13587639)

o Interesting statements by José Ramón Repullo regarding the temporality of doctors and health professionals and their non-solution through the OPEs. He proposes national accreditation and contracting by centers, as exists in other countries (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2022-04-30/la-temporalidad-de-los-medicos-es-el-resultado -of-a-bad-system-worse-governed.html)

o Cases of severe hepatitis in children in Spain rise to 22 (https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20220429/8233030/hepatitis-aguda-ascienden-22-casos-espana.html)

o 700,000 Spaniards on the surgical waiting list, the worst figure in the history of public healthcare (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20220501/espanoles-lista-espera-quirurgica-historia-sanidad-publica/668683270_0. html)

o Núñez Feijóo calls for the creation of the emergency specialty, with the argument of preventing primary care professionals from leaving (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/galicia/feijoo-pide-creacion-urgencias_113617_102.html)

o Facme presents the Spanish recertification model (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/22/facme-presenta-el-programa-espanol-de-recertificacion)

o Five communities (Extremadura, Aragón, Baleares, Comunidad Valenciana and Navarra) ask AIReF to evaluate their healthcare and pharmaceutical spending (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/26/cinco-ccaa-piden-a- the-airef-assess-your-health-care-and-pharmaceutical-expenditure)

o Very interesting article by José Luis Puerta: “Data saves lives”, on the need to overcome the situation in which the custodians of the data are not capable of exploiting them, nor do they allow third parties to do so (https://www.diariomedico .com/opinion/data-saves-lives.html)

Companies

  • International News

o Possible disruptive changes for the pharmaceutical industry (http://gestionclinicavarela.blogspot.com/2022/04/aires-de-disrupcion-en-la-industria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email): volumetric 3D printing that would allow drugs to be “manufactured” in a clinical setting (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214860422000781) and Amazon Prime’s offer to facilitate basic drugs for $1 a month (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/amazon-pharmacy-offers-half-yearly-prescriptions-starting-6-2021-06-08/)

o Roche sales soar in the United States due to the demand for covid tests (https://www.ft.com/content/ed5f4f64-4fa6-4663-bc75-8860bb1ad997)

o Investors pressure Nestlé and Kraft Heinz to target health (https://www.ft.com/content/545651c2-c408-4cad-b724-698ed896ee89)

o Philips records losses of 151 million euros in the first quarter of 2022 (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/philips-registra-unas-perdidas-de-151-millones-de-euros-en-el -first-quarter-of-2022.html)

o Abbie strengthens its neurosciences portfolio and acquires Syndesis Therapeutics (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/abbvie-strengthens-its-neurosciences-portfolio-and-acquires-syndesi-therapeutics.html)

  • National News

o Lácer attracts the interest of venture capital funds (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/distribucion/2022/04/29/626afa0de5fdeaa9578b45a2.html)

o Grifols closes the purchase operation of its German rival Biotest (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/04/25/companias/1650876940_315447.html)

o Faes Farma profit grows 24% thanks to licenses and the Latin American market (https://www.eleconomista.es/pais_vasco/noticias/11743403/04/22/El-beneficio-de-Faes-Farma-crece -a-24-thanks-to-the-licenses-and-the-latin-american-market.html)

o Senniors disembark in Abu Dhabi with the support of the country’s sovereign wealth fund (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/senniors-desembarca-en-abu-dabi-con-el-apoyo-del-fondo-soberano-del -country.html)

o Quirónsalud launches a new rehabilitation center in Ronda de Triana (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/quironsalud-pone-en-marcha-un-nuevo-centro-de-rehabilitacion-en-ronda-de -triana.html)

o Hospitales Parque (CASER) accelerates in 2021 and raises its income by 46%, up to 58 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/hospitales-parque-acelera-en-2021-y-eleva-un -46-your-income-up-to-58-million-euros.html)

o Asisa strengthens Otoaudio and opens its first center in Seville (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/asisa-refuerza-otoaudio-y-abre-su-primer-centro-en-sevilla.html)

o Asisa Dental opens its first own clinic in the Canary Islands in Las Palmas (https://www.consalud.es/ecsalud/nacional/asisa-dental-abre-palmas-clinica-canarias_113952_102.html)